Shifting means for rotatable elements



April 2, '1935. H. R. BLAIR 1,996,319

SHIFTING MEANS FOR ROTATABLE ELEMENTS Filed March 17, 193:: 2Sheets-Sh69t 1 April 2, 1935. H. R. BLAIR SHIFTING MEANS FOR ROTATABLEELEMENTS Filed March 17, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T. v T $3? j: J v 4,

9 Mil H W g, f a, i Z W a w a WW L l fl. 3 I h z 9 7 k y V 26 way 9 4 za U X W M 2,. x .I 2 9] w 5 n K W 1 w Patented Apr. 2, 193 5 SHIFTINGMEANS FOR'iROTATABLE L M N S 1 Harry ,R. Blair, Cranston, R." 1.,assignor to I Universal Winding Company, Boston, Mass:, a

-corporation of Massachusetts r Application March 17, 19sajs ria1No.661,400

2 Claims. (01; 192-99 This I invention relates to improvements inshifting means for rotatable elements such, for example, as clutchmembers, gear-wheels or expanders'for mandrels and the like. Theinvention is herein-shown as appliedto use with a shiftable lever orhandle arranged'to control the operation of a winding machine and toslide a rotatable element which acts to expand the mandrel or cop-holderto grip the interior of the paper tube on which-the'ccp or package iswound. In its broadest aspect, howeventhe invention is applicable tovarious and sundry machines. and

mechanisms wherein the operation of the apparatus' is controlled bymanually or mechanically actuated means engaged with a rotating part toeffect the, shifting of the latter to perform its appropriate function.

One object of the present invention 15 a provide a deviceof the typespecified wherein the lever or other shifting means which slidestherotating element is normally, held out offric- Htional contact,therewith to prevent wear on the parts.

' Another yielding control for the shift-lever which permits itsmovement in opposite directions for-sliding the rotating I element whileacting to return it to neutral position when. released.

Another object of the inventio-nis to provide adevice of the typespecified which is particu larly adapted. for use with the expandingmeans forcop-holders of winding machines a'ndso constructed andarrangedthat the shift-lever willbe construction, economical to' manufacture andeflicient in use for the purposes stated.

Further objects of the improvement'are set forth in-the followingspecification which'describesthe invention, by way of example, asapplied to use on .a winding machine with two different embodimentsillustrated by the Y accompanying drawings. In thedrawings:

FigJl is a part .sectional'view show ng the rotary spindle of a windingmachine and illustrating the present invention as appliedv to use withthe expander-means for the cope-holder mounted on the spindle;

Fi is an r d new o th ffqrwar ehd',

the 'mounting for the control-handle o'r shi-ftobject of the inventionis to providev a tion and its arrangement will hereinafter be: de-

of the windingspink:11ev showing the fcopfh ld er end view of thespindlefshcwiii lever.forthe cop-holder expander; v I it Fig. 4 is aplan view of the same; and

Fig. 5, shows amodified form of construction of, the control-handle orshift-lever, H v

It is afcommon practice in various t'ypes fof machines to employ arotating, element slidable on its'shaft to control some part of'themechanism of the machinef For example, the machine v v Y may beoperated through a clutch-mechanism in I which one of the clutchelements is looseon the shaft and the other element fast therewith. and

arranged to be engaged with or'disengaged from the loose element bysliding" it longitudinally of the shaft, itspresent embodiment theinvention is applied for use with a rotating element which is slidableon a sh aft or winding s pindle toleffect the expansion contractioncof amandrel for mounting a paper cop-tube to' IQ:-

' tate with thespindle; In this constructionthe means for shiftingtheexpander element consists in a handle or leverwhich is pivoted to rockon an axis at rightangles to the axis of 'thei winding-spindle;

Referring to the'drawings, Fig. l represents a portion of awindingmachine having a frame,

constituted by .side members or uprights l-and;

3 carrying bearings 4 and 5, in-whichisjournaled ahorizo-ntal shaft [0constituted as awindingspindle; The shaft or spindle I0 may be drivenfrom alpulley ll securecl fast at one end thereof and adapted tobe'rotated irom a belt l2 passing across the; underside'of itsperiphery;The

rotation of the spindle Hi may be controllediby engaging the beltzwith'and releasing-it fromthe a pulley ll through *suitable means not herein,

shownin eat n In one form of construction as used on winding machines,an idler pulley,not

shown, presses against the belt I2 to maintain to release the belt" fromthe driving pulley through er-s haft ilviu As illustrated in Fi Liyheroolierthe latter i'n co nta'ct-@with the periphery of driving pulleyl I', theidler, pulley being inoved 45 connectionwith a lever securedfast ftola rockshaft 15 is mounted to turn in Dearings in theLl,-

uprights 2 and 3pofthe frame of the machine I and carriesamanually-operable con'trol-leverZS shifting the cop holder expanded,The lever 25 forms an essential part ofthe'presentinvenscribed in dtailf at its forward endwhich also employedffor ture carried at theforward end of' the windingspindle H3. The tapered part of the mandrel3D is of solid construction providedwith'anjaxial bore 3| fitted to theend of the spindle III. A

pairof set-screws 32 disposed radially with their.

ends engaging depressions in the periphery of the spindle in secure themandrel fast thereon. Rearwardly of its solid portion the mandrel '30 isof hollowconstruction with its periphery "conforming to the conicalshape 'of its forward part. The hollow portion of the mandrel 30 has itswalls split longitudinally to form a plurality "of segments"orspring-fingers 33 adapted to be expanded to engage the inner walls ofthe coptubeC which is usually constructed of paper or 'liber. 'At theirfree ends the segments 33 are .scored with a plurality of annularserrations forming sharp teeth 34 adapted to bite into the inneriwall'ofthecop-tube C when the segments are expanded whereby to hold the tubesecurely in'place on the mandrel 30. The segments 33 are adapted to beexpanded to engage their teeth 7 '33 with the inner wall of the cop-tubeC by means of a slidable expander-element or sleeve 35.

'lheexpander-element 35 is mounted free to rotateon the shaft or spindlel3 and is slidable axially thereof under the actuation of theconftrolh'andle orshift-lever 25, previously referred to; The expander35 has a beveled face 36 on its'periphery adapted to engage inwardlyprojecting'portion's 31 of the segments 33 to force the latterradiallycut'ward; At one side of the beveledface 35 is a cylindricalsurface 38 which is eventually carried into engagement with the"projections 3'! to retain the segments 33 in their expandedrelationship while tending to prevent the-expander 35 from sliding backto release them, see Fig.1 of the drawings.

"2' of the drawings.

The expander 35 is formed with an annular flange "39 adapted to engageagainst the end of thefcop-tube C toforce the latter on from the mandrel39 after thesegments 33 have been allow'ed to contract by sliding theexpander axially of the spindle I Oto the position illustrated in Fig. 2of the"drawings. On one side of the flange :39;i saboss-40 arranged inopposite spaced rela- "tion with respect to a flange 4| surrounding theendiofthe expander. The boss 43 and flange 4| form an annulargroove oropening 42, the sides for which are adaptedto'be engaged by a toeportion43 on the lever 25 which projects into thegroove. An annular flange orcollar 44 fast on'the spindle or shaft I 8 adjacentthe outer portionofits bearing {4 is employed-as a stop for limiting the sliding movementof the expandersleeve 35 "to the right as viewedin Figs. 1 ande"control-handle or shift -lever 25 is pivotally supported on a head ormounting 45 fast on "-they'end 'of the rocker-shaftjor rod l5.Preferably, themounting or head 45 is constructed integrally therod;l5,"for example, as a forging. Referring particularly to Figs. 2, '3and 4,--the head or mounting 45 is slotted vertically at '48 and collar44.

the lever 25 stands erect with its toe 43 extending formed withforwardly projecting ears 4'! apertured to receive a cross-pin 48 onwhich the lever 25 is pivoted by means of its hub or bearing 49. Thelever 25 is received in the slotted opening of the head or mounting 45and pivoted on the pin 48 to adapt it to be rocked to cause its lowertoeportion 43 to slide the expander-element or sleeve 35 on the shaft orspindle I0. As shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the toe-portion 43 ofthe lever 25 is preferably of substantially segmental shape having anarcuate lower edge so that when the lever is rocked in the directionindicated by the arrow in this view to oscillate the rocker-shaft l 5the toe will remain in engagement with the groove 42 in theexpander-element 35; it being understood however that the movement ofthe lever in this direction has no function in connection with theexpanding of the cop-holder or mandrel 30. Normally, when the machine isin operation with the cop-tube C gripped on the mandrel 30 by theexpansion of its segments 33, the expander-element 35 is slid to theright with the side of the flange 4| abutting the outer face of thefixed With the expander 35 in this position vertically within the groove42 between the boss 48 and flange M.

The shift-lever 25 is held in this neutral position with a clearancebetween the sides of its toe 43 and the faces of the boss 46 and flangell by an arrangement of self-adjusting resilient means as nextexplained. Slidable in a horizontal bore 53 at the bottom of the head ormounting 45 is a plunger-pin 5i, the end of which projects slightlybeyond theforward side of the mounting to bear against a finished face52 on the side of the toe d3 of the lever 25. The opposite end of thepin 5! engages against a curved finger 53 projecting downwardly froniaspring-plate or washer 55.

The spring-plate 55 is located between the inner face of the head ormounting 5 and the face of a boss 51 projecting from the side of theframe member 2, being provided with an axial aperture for receiving therocker-shaft or rod E5. The spring-plate 55 is arranged to turn with thehead or mounting When the lever 25 is rocked in the direction indicatedby the arrow in Fig. 3 to perform its function of oscillating therocker-shaft or rod 15 to control the drive through the belt pulley l lConveniently, the spring-plate 55 may have fingers 5B bent across thelower squared edge 59 of the body of the head or mounting 55, see Figs.2 and 3. The projecting finger 53 on the spring-plate 55 is ofrelatively narrow width as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3 and itsconvex face bears against the end of the pin 5% to retain it in theposition illustrated in Fig. 2. The sides of the spring-finger 53 alsobear against the rearward face of the head 35 to prevent it fromprojecting the pin 5! forwardly beyond the position illustrated in Fig.2. The pin 5| thus serves as a cushioned stop to limit the rockingmotion of the lever '25 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig.2 to locate the toe S3 of the lever in exact position centrally of thegroove 42 on the end of the expander 35 with a clearance between itssides and the lateral faces of the boss-4B and flange 4|.

The lever 25 is resiliently held in neutral position aslast described bymeans of a bifurcated Wire-spring 68 bearing against its .side above itspivotal axis. The spring 56, shown most clearly in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, isof generally hairpin-shape having an arcuate portion 5i shaped toenclose the rounded side of the lever '25 withopposite legs -62-extended downwardly therefrom and termiwire from the'spring-coils B3 areextended at an angle to the main, legs 62 in portions 66 whichbearagainst the rearward side of the fslot43, the

slot being herein shown as of arcuate contour formed by amillingcutter';

The spring 6.5 is held in position with its coils 1.63 maintained undertension by the terminal portions 63 of the wire bearing against thecurved edge of the slot 43 whereby to cause itslonger legs 32 to exert aforce tending tourock the lever in the'direction indicated by the arrowin Fig. 2. Through this arrangement the lever 25 is resiliently held inneutral positionjwith the finished face 52 of its toe 43 bearing againstthe end of the plunger-pin 5|f;f .it :being 'unde'rstoodthat' thespring-finger 53' has greater tension thanthe spring '60 so that thelatter. has no effect to rock the lever, '25 to such an extentas toslide'the plunger-pin 5| in its bore 50. On the other hand,

the spring-finger 53 is 'yieldable to allow the plunger-pin 5|tobe slidaxially in its bore when the lever 25. is manuallyrocked in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig, 2 to slide the expander 35 tothe position shown in Fig.1 where.

its-flange 4| brings up against thefixedcollar 44. The methodofoperation of 'the device is as next explained. Whenthemachine"isjinactive the lever 25 is rocked to the position shown inFig. 2 with the expander 35 slid to the left on the shaft ll); it beingunderstood that, the shaft or spindle I0 is at rest so that the.expander 35 does not rotate and therefore there will befnofriction- "a1rubbing actionbetween the toe ofthelever and the sides of the groove 42in the end of the expander. The parts are held in this position by thepressure of the segments 33 of the mandrel on the beveled face 36 of theexpander 35, the spring tendency of the segments being considerablygreater than that of the spring 60 acting on thelever 2,5. 1

Inpreparing the machine for operation the paper or fiber cop-tube C isslid overthe periphery of the mandrel or holder 30 until its rearward orlarger end brings up against the side of the flange. 39 of the expander35, as shown in Fig. 2, to force the latter. back on the spindle |0until the tube seats firmly on' the solid part of the mandrel. The,operator then graps the handle or lever 25 and pulls it forward, rockingit in the direction indicated by the arrowin Fig. 2,.to1cause itstoe 43to slide the expander axially of the shaft |l| tina direction to theright asvievndv in Fig. 2.,

As the expander35 is forcibly shifted infthis direction itsannulari'beveled face36. rides under theprojections 31 on the innersides of the segments 33 to expand the latter outwardly wherebyto causetheir teeth 33 to bite into the inner wall of the tube C, In thismannerpthe segments 33 are expanded to grip the tube C firmly to themandrel 33 as the projections 3|.on the segments 7 ride up onto thecylindrical face-38 er. the expander. 1

As before indicated, theupper or handle portion of the lever 25 isrocked outwardlyfrom the frame of the machineto a sufficient extent to,

carry the expander 35 back into position with its flange 4| abutting theside of the fixedcollar 44, the pin 5| in the head or mounting 45sliding axially to a slight' extent under this .movement of the lever asthe spring-finger 53 yields.

As soon as the expander has been shifted into operative position, asshown in Fig. l of thedrawplunger-pin 5| back in'its bore to return thelever to neutral positionjagainst theftension of the upper spring 69. Asthe lever returns to neuthe finished face 52 of the toe 43 bearingagainst the end 'of the pin 5|, the parts being so proportionedandlocated that at this juncture the toe 43 will be. positionedcentrally of the groove 42 in the expander 35 with its sides clear ofthe sides thereof. 1

' I The windingoperatiori of the machine may now 3 be started by rockingthelever 25in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3 to causethe belt |2 to be engaged with the pulley whereby 1 to rotate the shaftor spindle I0. As they shaft. 10 is rotated the mandrel or copholder3||.turns ings, the handle. 25'may be released, whereupon 3 the tensionof the spring-finger '53 will force the tral position the upper" springholdsit'with. I 7

therewith to'win'd theyarn onto the cop-tube'C as. itis traversedlongitudinally thereof by suitable means, not herein illustrated. Itwill be evident that the expander 35, being frictionally engaged withthesegments 33 of the mandrel 30, will rotate with the latter, butduring this rotation it is entirely free from contactwith'the toe 431 ofthe lever 25 due to the maintenance of the lever I in neutralposition'as describedunder the control I of the spring 611 andplunger-pin'5|; Frictional contactbetween the toe 435' of the lever 25and th'e'sidesof the-groove 42 in' the expander 35 is thus entirelyeliminated to save the parts, from excessive wear and deterioration.Furthermore, the elimination of the abrasive or rubbing action betweenthe expander-andits shift-lever prevents the grinding off of carbonparticles which are liable to flyoff from therotating surfaces to lodgeon the material being wound. In winding rayon and other syntheticmaterialsthe yarn is subjected to treatment with liquid such as, anemulsion of oil. Under rapid manipulation a portion. of the oil' may bethrown'off from'the yarn and when mixed with thecarbon particles causedby friction between the. machine elements it may lodge on the yarntosoil the delicate material. With the present invention such adeleterious action of the oil and carbon particles is avoided soothatthe material is saved from damage or injury from this cause. It willthus be seen that the present invention, besides relieving the engagingparts from wear and deterioration,alsoinsures against.

the'dang er of soiling the yarn 'pa'ckaged'on the winding machine.

., Fig. 5"illustrates'an alternative form of con structionof'the devicewhereinthe lever 25 is provided-With a forked'ylower extremity 10 in" mplace of thetoe previously described; The sides of the fork -10 straddlethesides of'the flange 4 on the expander 35 to effect theshifting ofthei latter ,in the same manner as first described, I while the. spring'60 and plunger-pin 5|;ac't to maintain the lever 25 inneutral positionwith a clearance between the sides of the flange andth'e sides ofthefork. r I p While theinventionishereinillustrated and'de scribedfasemployed in connection with the, shift lever and slidable' expander'of acop-tube holder 1 v ormandrel, itis to be understood that-it is capablefig of wider use in various applications to. machines and mechanisms ofother types. 3 Further "modifications may also be made inthestructureand arrangement of the parts of the device without departingfrom the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limitingmyself in this respect,Iclairn: I 1

, 1. In a device of the type specified, the combination of a rotatableand axially shiftable element and shifting means having opposing facesfor/engagement to shift the element, and yieldable x'n'eans'acting tomove said shifting means in opposite directions whereby to return'it toneutral positionafter it has been moved in either direction against theyielding action of, said means.

3.' In a device of the type specified, the combination of a rotatableand axially shiftable element having an annular flange, a lever adaptedto engage the sides of the fiange to shift said ele- 'ment, andresilient means acting in opposite directions on the lever, to maintainit in neutral po- .sitio'n free from engagement with the flange on saidelement during the rotation of I the latter while permitting manualmovement of said lever in two directions to shift said shiftableelement.

4. In a device of the type specified, the combination of a rotatable andaxially shiftable element,a member for shifting said element in oppositedirections, yieldable means acting against said member to maintain it inneutral position while permitting it to be moved in one direction underthe yielding action of said means, and a second resilient means actingagainst the member to maintain it bearing against the yieldable meanswhile permittingit to be movedin the oppositedire'ction away from saidyieldable means. 5. In a device of the type specified, the combinationofa rotatable and axially shiftable elemerita lever adapted to engagethe rotatable element to shift .it in opposite directions, yieldablemeans having a limited range of movement with respect to the lever toact thereon to hold the lever in neutral position without engagementwith the shiftable element, and resilient means acting against theleverto maintain itagainst the yieldable meansto defineits neutralposition.

6.. In a'deVice of .the typespecified, the combinationof arotatable andaxially shiftable element having opposite annular faces, a pivotedleshift the rotatableelement to one extreme of its travel; saidyieldable means acting to return the lever to neutral position free fromengagement with the opposite faces of the rotatable element,

and auxiliary resilient means acting on the lever I in the'oppositedirection fr'om=the.first.yieldable means to'inaintain said lever :initsneutral position.

--'7. In a deviceofgthe type specified, the combination of a rotatableand axially shiftable element having opposite annular faces, a leveradapted to engage the faces on saidelement to shift it in oppositedirections, a plunger engageable by the lever when it is moved in onedirection to shift the rotatable element, a spring acting to slide theplunger to move the lever into neutral position out of engagement withthe faces of the rotatable element, and resilient means for maintainingthe lever in contact with the plunger.

8. In a device of the type specified, the combination of a rotatable andaxially shiftable element having opposite annular faces, a pivoted leveradapted to engage the faces of the rotatable element to shift the latterin opposite directions, a slidable plunger adapted to be engaged by thelever when the latter is rocked in one direction,

a spring acting against said plunger to allow it to yield with themovement of the lever and to react to return the lever to neutralposition free from engagement with the opposite faces of the rotatableelement, and a second spring acting .on

'the lever to maintain it in contact with the plunger without slidingthe latter. 9. In a device of the type specified, the combination of arotatable and axially slidable element having opposite annular faces, alever engageable with said faces to shift said element in oppositedirections, a relatively fixed member, means for pivoting the levertosaid member, a plunger slidable in said fixed member with its endprojecting into position to be engaged by the lever when the latter isrocked in one direction, a spring acting against the opposite end of theplunger to maintain it in predetermined position, and a second springacting against the lever to hold it against the plunger to locate it inneutral position free from engagement with the opposite faces of therotatable member.

10. In a device of the type specified, the combination of a rotatableshaft, an element slidable on said shaft, said element having oppositeannular faces, .a mounting, a lever pivoted to said mounting andhavingmeans engageable with the opposite faces of the slidable member to shiftthe latter, a plunger-pin slidable in a bore in the mounting with itsend projecting therefrom for engagement with the lever, a spring-plate"held against the mounting and formed with a portion engaging the end ofthe pin to slide the latter to a limited extent, and a second springcarried on the mounting and acting against the lever to hold it inengagement with the end of the slidable pin to maintain the lever inneutral position free from engagement with the opposite faces of theslidable element. 1

11. In combination, a rotatable and axially shiftable element, amanually operable lever for shifting said element, a spring acting onsaid lever to maintain it in neutral position free from engagement withsaidelement while adapting it to be moved in opposite directions toshift said element, and a second spring opposed to the first spring toact on the member to return it to ,neutral'position to be held by thefirst spring.

12. In combination, a rotatable and axially shiftable element, a lever,said lever and element having overlapping portions for engagement toshift the element in opposite directions, a spring acting to move thelever in one direction while permitting its movement in the oppositedirection, and a second spring opposed to the first spring and acting onthe lever to return it to neutral position where it is restrained fromfurther movement by the-first spring.

HARRY R. BLAIR.

